2020 protest case: Meet Hayer gets relief from HC

The Punjab and Haryana high court granted relief to cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh alias Meet Hayer in the 2020 protest case as it disposed of a petition seeking quashing of the proceedings.

The Punjab and Haryana high court granted relief to cabinet minister Gurmeet Singh alias Meet Hayer in the 2020 protest case as it disposed of a petition seeking quashing of the proceedings.

On October 24, 2020, cops had registered a case against Hayer and his colleagues in the Aam Aadmi Party, who assembled outside the office of the Punjab BJP’s office in Chandigarh, without prior permission, violating the orders of the administration, to protest the farmers’ bill. A chargesheet was filed in the matter in May 2021. (HT Photo)

On October 24, 2020, cops had registered a case against Hayer and his colleagues in the Aam Aadmi Party, who assembled outside the office of the Punjab BJP’s office in Chandigarh, without prior permission, violating the orders of the administration, to protest the farmers’ bill. A chargesheet was filed in the matter in May 2021.

While disposing off the petition, the bench of Justice Vikas Bahl, said “All the proceedings have been stayed and thus, prays that the present petition be disposed of at this stage, with liberty to file a fresh petition in case any cause survives at subsequent stage.”

Hayer, referring to an order of a high court of division bench, had sought quashing of the proceedings against him. In order dated February 9 states: “We deem it appropriate as an interim measure, to direct that the further proceedings in cases registered under Sections 188, 269, 270 IPC read with Section 3 of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897 and Section 51 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 without invoking other provisions of the IPC or other penal enactments would remain stayed.”